Radio New Zealand has launched its first podcast with John Campbell called ‘Pay day is broke day’ and in just an hour since it was published it’s already the most popular piece of content on the RNZ site.
The podcast is the first part of a series called First Person with John Campbell. The current podcast explores how difficult it is to live in Auckland, even with a full time job and a salary.
Campbell recorded the podcast over two days in Manukau to talk to lower wage workers to see how they get by, the podcast page says.
You can listen to the podcast here.
@JohnJCampbell @rnz_news great stuff John. Keep up the good fight.
— Noddy (@BattChap) September 24, 2015
“This is the first podcast Campbell has tackled, and it’s a bit of a trial run,” says Radio New Zealand head of digital Glen Scanlon. “ … and obviously there are elements we want to add in the future. More visual and probably some video elements too.”
He says the podcasts will be weekly. “He’s trying to come up with a potential second one. He’s been very keen on tackling this. He’s seen examples on the NPR doing a great job and it fits with the story telling he likes to do.”
The reception has been fantastic so far, he says. “It’s currently the most popular thing we have on the site. It’s also on iTunes and on Sound Cloud, and it will appear on YouTube.”
@JohnJCampbell @rnz_news finding out about your new podcast just made my day. Good luck with the new venture!
— Elise Latimer (@Verit_Elise) September 24, 2015
Loving @JohnJCampbell‘s first podcast for RNZ. Giving a voice to those we don’t often hear from. Have a listen http://t.co/XvddIZfZO8
— Jessica Roden (@Jess_Roden) September 24, 2015
Campbell is also set to take up a position as a drivetime host on Radio New Zealand, but Scanlon says he can’t say yet when it will launch.
Radio New Zealand chief executive Paul Thompson told StopPress earlier RNZ is still thinking through exactly how the drive time programme will take shape.
“We aren’t launching the programme until November, a lot of the detailed thinking still needs to happen but it’s clear that John will bring a couple of things to us. One is that our current audiences like and enjoy him and they remember him from Saturday morning, he has an affinity with our current audiences. But he also has huge connections to people who perhaps aren’t that close to people at RNZ at the moment. Including his massive social media following.”
He said the programme itself will have audio components and video. ” … and when he does a set piece video it will be made available on YouTube and wherever else it needs to be. And we will look to develop unique podcast content, something separate from what he will be doing on his programme and that will have a life of its own through iTunes.”
The programme would also be live-streamed online, he said.
“So we see him working across all those elements. And what he brings to all of them is his skill as a broadcaster and journalist and his relevance to lots of New Zealanders.”
